House File 407

                                       HOUSE FILE       
                                       BY  JOCHUM


    Passed House, Date                Passed Senate,  Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act providing for an increase in the amount of punitive
  2    damages a tenant may recover from a landlord's bad faith
  3    retention of a security deposit.
  4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  5 TLSB 2730HH 80
  6 rh/sh/8

PAG LIN

  1  1    Section 1.  Section 562A.12, subsection 7, Code 2003, is
  1  2 amended to read as follows:
  1  3    7.  The bad faith retention of a deposit by a landlord, or
  1  4 any portion of the rental deposit, in violation of this
  1  5 section shall subject the landlord to punitive damages not to
  1  6 exceed two five hundred dollars in addition to actual damages.
  1  7    Sec. 2.  Section 562B.13, subsection 8, Code 2003, is
  1  8 amended to read as follows:
  1  9    8.  The bad faith retention of a deposit by a landlord, or
  1 10 any portion of the rental deposit, in violation of this
  1 11 section shall subject the landlord to punitive damages not to
  1 12 exceed two five hundred dollars in addition to actual damages.
  1 13                           EXPLANATION
  1 14    This bill provides for an increase in the amount of
  1 15 punitive damages a tenant, including a mobile home park
  1 16 tenant, may recover for a landlord's bad faith retention of a
  1 17 security deposit from $200 to $500.
  1 18 LSB 2730HH 80
  1 19 rh/sh/8
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